Enviromentalists prove further that Animal rights supercede that of Human rights...

[insein]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBPIXDOZBE.html

Volunteer Group Blamed for Destroying Turtle Nest During Search for Missing Teen in Aruba

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) - An Aruban park ranger on Thursday accused a Texas volunteer group of destroying a nest of endangered sea turtle eggs while searching for a missing U.S. teen on a beach, a charge the group denied.
Rangers at the Arikok National Park on Aruba's northern coast found a nest of hawksbill sea turtle eggs that had been dug up, leaving dozens of the eggs cracked and displaced, said head park ranger Salvador Franken.

The nest was found on a beach in the park on July 29, a day after the volunteer group Texas EquuSearch had been searching the area for clues into the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway, Franken said.

"Our rangers checked the coast that morning (before EquuSearch arrived) and everything was OK," Franken said. "The next day we found everything destroyed."

Franken said the rangers didn't witness the eggs being damaged. But he said they believe EquuSearch was responsible because nobody else was seen on the rocky and isolated beach that day.

During previous searches in the park, rangers had accompanied the volunteers to point out sensitive natural areas, said Franken. But this time, EquuSearch showed up and began searching unannounced, he said.

Joe Huston, Texas EquuSearch operations director, said the group searched parts of the park July 28 but did not go to the beach area where the eggs were destroyed.

"I know for a fact that we didn't disturb any habitat and I highly resent that they think we did it," said Huston.

Huston said the Dickinson, Texas-based group wasn't digging on the beach, but rather using a ground-penetrating radar machine that was dragged above ground.

Huston said such machines were often used by scientists to locate turtle nests buried several inches (centimeters) below ground, so its weight would not have harmed the eggs.

Edith van der Wal, a volunteer with local conservation group Turtugaruba, said they had decided to leave what's left of the nest in hopes that some of the eggs will hatch.

"There are so many cracked that I'm not sure any will survive," she said.

Hawksbill turtles are found all over the world, but nesting mostly occurs on isolated beaches in the Caribbean and along the Gulf of Mexico.

The species are listed as endangered under Aruban law and also protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Texas EquuSearch has been in Aruba since late June helping to search for Holloway, who disappeared May 30 while on a graduation trip.

Putting aside the fact that these people said they didnt do it, the search for the missing body of a HUMAN BEING is less important than that of those precious turtles on the beach. Get the fuck over it.